Inspired by the first train voyage from Jaffa to Jerusalem, made in 1892, author Deborah Bodin Cohen spins the fictional story of Engineer Ari, the train driver who made that trip. After boasting to his friends Nathaniel and Jessie, Ari drives the train on its 3.5 hour trip, encountering many of the things - apples, honey, challah, the shofar - associated with Rosh Hashanah celebrations. Regretting his treatment of his friends, Ari turns the train around in Jerusalem, determined to return and apologize...

The first of four picture-books featuring Engineer Ari and the Jewish holidays, Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride pairs an engaging tale from American author, rabbi and bookstore-owner Deborah Bodin Cohen with bright, colorful artwork from Israeli illustrator Shahar Kober. The historical aspect is explored more fully in the brief afterword, which discusses the opening of the Jaffa-Jerusalem train line, while the narrative itself explores both the objects that are associated with Rosh Hashanah, and the importance of teshuvah - repentance for wrongdoing and a determination to do better - that is associated with Yom Kippur. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for stories about the Jewish High Holy Days, or about historical train lines. ( )